Security Alert: DB2 Flaws Surface

Written By
Larry Seltzer
Larry Seltzer
Published: Oct 5, 2004
Updated: Feb 2, 2021
1 minute read
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Next Generation Security Software has reported multiple vulnerabilities in IBM DB2 Universal Database.

Twenty vulnerabilities were reported and designated as “critical” by Next Generation Security Software Ltd. Most are buffer overflows, which often can lead to the execution of attack code.

But NGS is delaying release of details of the vulnerabilities until Jan. 5, to provide time for IBM to address the problems and for customers to apply fixes.

IBM has released FixPaks 6a and 7a to address the issues. IBM DB2 Universal Database versions 8.0.0 and 8.1.0 for AIX, HP-UX, Solaris, Linux and Windows are affected.

The list of fixes in the FixPaks is also unspecific as to the errors, as is typical for IBM.

/zimages/2/28571.gifSome frustrated IT organizations are turning to smaller, third-party developers for new internal auditing and monitoring tools for their databases.Click hereto read more.

Just a month ago, NGS reported a different set of issues in different DB2 versions. NGS said IBM patched two of those vulnerabilities, which were remotely exploitable buffer overflows that could allow for complete compromise of the affected database server or DOS (denial-of-service) attacks.

/zimages/2/28571.gifCheck out eWEEK.coms Security Center for the latest security news, reviews and analysis. And for insights on security coverage around the Web, take a look at eWEEK.com Security Center Editor Larry Seltzers Weblog.

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Larry Seltzer

Larry Seltzer has been writing software for and English about computers ever since—,much to his own amazement— He was one of the authors of NPL and NPL-R, fourth-generation languages for microcomputers by the now-defunct DeskTop Software Corporation. (Larry is sad to find absolutely no hits on any of these +products on Google.) His work at Desktop Software included programming the UCSD p-System, a virtual machine-based operating system with portable binaries that pre-dated Java by more than 10 years.For several years, he wrote corporate software for Mathematica Policy Research (they're still in business!) and Chase Econometrics (not so lucky) before being forcibly thrown into the consulting market. He bummed around the Philadelphia consulting and contract-programming scenes for a year or two before taking a job at NSTL (National Software Testing Labs) developing product tests and managing contract testing for the computer industry, governments and publication.In 1991 Larry moved to Massachusetts to become Technical Director of PC Week Labs (now eWeek Labs). He moved within Ziff Davis to New York in 1994 to run testing at Windows Sources. In 1995, he became Technical Director for Internet product testing at PC Magazine and stayed there till 1998.Since then, he has been writing for numerous other publications, including Fortune Small Business, Windows 2000 Magazine (now Windows and .NET Magazine), ZDNet and Sam Whitmore's Media Survey.

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